Chapter 3

After three years, the palace was just as breathtakingly opulent as I remembered.

But the first time I met Edmund wasn't in a palace. It was out on the open ocean.

Back then, as the most revered princess of the Sea Elves, I floated to the surface on a whim. There, amidst the endless blue, I saw Edmund. His grand ship was cutting through the waves.

He stood at the bow, overlooking the deep blue water, completely full of life and pride.

He was surrounded by his court, his golden robes fluttering against the azure sky. With his hair dancing in the wind, he looked like a god of the surface.

For a few, breathless seconds, my heart simply stopped, captured by a man I should never have met.

I read a human poem once that described it perfectly. It was like lightning striking, a single moment that eclipsed every beautiful thing in the world.

Because of my royal blood and unmatched beauty, Edmund made me his queen the second I arrived at the palace.

The matron lectured me constantly, telling me that as the queen, I was the ultimate role model for every woman in the kingdom. I had to be flawless, composed, and utterly devoid of impulse.

It felt suffocating, but whenever I reminded myself that I was the only woman in the world allowed to stand by his side, the suffocation felt worth it.

Edmund loved how perfectly I played the part. He constantly praised my grace and dignity, holding me up as the ultimate example for every woman in the empire.

When foreign diplomats visited, we sat side by side on the throne. To the eyes of the masses, we were the picture of eternal love.

But everything changed the moment Macey arrived.

She was completely clueless about human customs and didn't have a strict matron breathing down her neck. One afternoon, while I was buried in boring palace financial ledgers, she was playfully chasing butterflies in the royal gardens and ran straight into Edmund.

When I heard what happened, I rushed over in a panic, dropping to my knees and begging him to forgive her clumsiness.

Edmund stood there, silently twisting the rings around his fingers. After a long pause, he stepped forward and gently helped Macey to her feet.

But he left me on my knees.

He looked down at me, and the icy detachment in his eyes made my stomach drop.

"Your cousin is so lively and adorable. She is truly nothing like you."

And then, he just walked away.

I remained on my knees on the stone path, completely baffled.

At the time, I actually felt a wave of relief, thinking he had let her off the hook because of his love for me.

It wasn't until the royal edict arrived, officially crowning Macey as his consort, that I realized how spectacularly wrong I was.

Her "adorable" clumsiness wasn't something he forgave. It was the exact thing that made him fall for her.

*****

Now, three years later, a servant escorted me to the Hall of Governance to wait for Edmund.

It was almost funny. I had been there countless times, so I knew every brick and every mortar by heart.

But today, I remained on my knees on the marble floor like a convicted criminal, waiting for my executioner.

Just as my vision started swimming from exhaustion, Edmund finally strolled in.

He wore the same golden robes, and his hair looked just perfect, but his voice lacked any trace of the warmth I remembered.

"After three years in exile, do you know what you did wrong, Serena?"

I pressed my forehead closer to the cold marble.

I replied, "Thank you for your kind concern, Your Majesty. I... Sorry. I am but a slave of the pits, and I know I was wrong."

I remembered the day Macey framed me. Edmund had held her tightly against his chest, forcing me onto my knees in the freezing snow, wearing nothing but a thin silk robe.

He had stared at my shivering body with absolute disgust.

"A beast is a beast," he had spat. "You can dress it in silk, but it's still an animal.

"You have no manners, no warmth, and absolutely none of your cousin's charm.

"You're just a pretty, empty shell.

"Go rot on Forsaken Peak! Reflect on your sins while you crawl in the dirt with those beasts. From this day forth, they are the only company you deserve."

That was the day I learned my true place. To him, I was nothing but a lowly beast.

Above me, Edmund let out a satisfied hum.

"It seems the exile on Forsaken Peak did you some good. Our efforts weren't wasted after all. Raise your head. Let me see if you're truly repentant."

At his order, I slowly lifted my head. For the first time, his composed facade cracked.

He stared at my chest, his eyes widening.

"Serena, where is the mark of your lineage?"